jayc, are you reading our replies? What part is international comparisons do you not understand? You seem to ignore those replies or parts thereof that do not fit your argument.
To give an example to LJs post, I was on a particular NATO committee for 3 years, that met 3 times per year. As we stayed in hotels in different NATO countries, including two not in the unified structure, and for security reasons, we wore civilian clothes. The personnel from the host country wore uniform. This had the advantage of giving an RAF NCO (non-voting) the same right to be heard as the voting members at sqn ldr and wg cdr equivalent.
On one occasion I committed the RAF to a particular and expensive exercise. I was challenged by an RNlAF major that not have the authority to s commit the RAF as I was too junior. Other nation representatives used to return to their HQs to report. I had taken the precaution to get advance authority provided the appropriate criteria were met. They were.